Separate Ways
by damonxelenaforever
Summary: Finally finished.
1. Her names Brittany

Separate Ways... (A Zanessa Story)

"Aw..Zaccy, you shouldn't have!!" Brittany Snow beamed when she saw the necklace Zac gave to her. They were both filming the movie Hairspray. "Do you love it?" Zac asked. "Yes..I truly love it Zac!!" Brittany hugged Zac. Then suddenly Ashley Tisdale (Zac's friend) walked up to them. "Hey Zac." Ashley greeted him with a smile. "Hey Ash." Zac too greeted Ashley with a smile. "Kenny called and asked if you would like to do HSM2 with the rest of the cast." Ashley was hoping he'd say yes. Her best friend Vanessa couldn't wait to see Zac again. "Tell him I said yes." Zac told Ashley without taking his eyes off Brittany. "Great then. See ya Saturday. My house." Ashley waved Zac good-bye and left. Ashley was disappointed that Zac didn't wave back. She was really curious. On Saturday at Ashley's house, everyone was there..except for Zac. Where is he? Everyone thought. Vanessa tried calling Zac, but he didn't answer. "So..did he say anything?" Monique asked. "He didn't answer his phone. He always does." Vanessa said staring in shock. During the filming of HSM2, Zac arrived. "You're late." Vanessa told him. She wasn't really happy; she was mad and angry at him. "You didn't come. Every Saturday, you said that we would all go out and hang at my house. What happened to you?" Ashley too was mad. It wasn't just Vanessa and Ashley, it was the whole HSM cast. "Nothing happened. It just that..I was with..um..a girl." Zac was really nervous. "What's the girl's name?" Vanessa asked. She wanted to know, but she wasn't gonna hurt her or anything like that. "If I tell you her name, you're not gonna hurt her. Right?" Zac wondered. "No..of course not. Tell me her name." Vanessa said with curiousity. Zac was scared inside, but he was brave enough to tell Vanessa. "Her name's.." he paused for a moment. "Her name is...??" Ashley questioned Zac. "Brittany." Zac was relieved. "You mean that girl who starred with you in Hairspray?" Lucas asked. Zac nodded. "What about the other girl?" Corbin asked. "Who? Nikki? I don't like her as much." Zac told them. "She seemed pretty nice to you though." Ashley was thinking about the magazines that she's been reading saying rumors about she and Zac being together when they're just only friends. She also read something about Zac and Nikki.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?? FIND OUT SOON!!


	2. Good news and Bad news

Separate Ways... (A Zanessa Story)

Two years later...Vanessa was working late at the mall. She was 20 years old, turning 21 in a few months. She was about to go home when she had gotten a text message. It was sort of a worried kind of text. She ran to her house, but there, lying on the ground was a guy. She walked up to the guy. The guy had blood all over him and was unconsious. Vanessa dialed 911 and waitied impatiently for the operator to answer. She knew that this guy was gonna die and fast. When the operator answered, Vanessa said, "There'sthisguywho'slyingunconsiousinmyapartmentanditlookslikehe'sloosingalotofbloodandidon'tknowifhe'llbeabletosurvive." "May you repeat that? A little slower." the operator couldn't understand what Vanessa was saying. Vanessa took a deep breath in and let it out. She started say it again, "There's this guy who's lying unconcious in my apartment and it looks like that he's loosing a lot of blood and i don't know if he'll be able to survive."

Then suddenly an ambulance came and laid the guy on the stretcher. When they arrived at the hospital, they quickly rushed the guy to the ER. They knew they had to stop the blood flow and from the guy loosing a lot of blood. Vanessa was worried. She had no idea who the guy was, then a couple of people started rushing in. The guy's family and friends. They walked up to the receptionist, but then a girl pushed her way to the front. _Harsh. _Vanessa thought. Then the girl started talking. "I'm Brittany Snow. And I was wondering if you know what happened to my boyfriend." she was polite, but she didn't look polite. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. The doctor hasn't told us about the patient's condition yet." the receptionist told Brittany. Brittany was shocked. She decided to sit down with her boyfriend's family and friends. Vanessa didn't look up from her magazine or say a word to either of them.

The doctor walked out. "I have some good news and some bad news." Vanessa still kept her head down just in case one of the people who were there had recognized her. "What's the good news?" the guy's mother asked. "The good news is..is that he's in perfect health and the bad news is that his head looked like it had damaged one part of his brain, but we stopped the blood flow. And the cause of that would be...is that he would be in acoma for a few months and someone responsible enough could take care of him while he's still here." the doctor answered the guy's mother's question. "I would--" "No..don't Brit. None of us are responsible enough, except for his parents. His parents and his brother are really busy. We can't find anyone who'll do the job for us." the girl who was sitting next to her interrupted Brittany.

"If they won't do it, then I will." Vanessa said to the doctor. "Thank you." the doctor asked Vanessa to follow him to the guy's room. "Here's the things you would need to help him with. This is his room number and his name. If you'd like to know more, here's my card. Good luck." "Wait..how many months shall I help him?" Vanessa asked before the doctor left. "Three to almost half a year." the doctor replied smiling before walking away. _This will be tough. _Vanessa thought to herself. Vanessa walked down the corridor until she reached the guy's room. She knocked on the door slightly before entering. She knew it would be polite to knock, even though if the person is in acoma. Vanessa walked up to the guy. Then she started to pray to herself hoing that this guy would wake up.


	3. I love you Zac

Vanessa sat down beside the guy and took her hand in his. She caressed his hand for a while until a girl came in. "What are you doing?!" the girl was pissed. "Um..nothing." Vanessa took her hand away from the guy's hand. "Good, now if I catch you again, you're dead." the girl left. _Who the hell is she? _Vanessa thought. "HEY!!" Vanessa called out to the girl. "What??" the girl asked. "You don't know who you're messing with." Vanessa was so mad. "And you're acting like you're the boss. Well, you're not. That guy right there is taken." the girl pointed to the guy. "If he's taken, what's his name?" Vanessa asked. "Zac Efron. Oh, I'm Brittany Snow by the way. And you are?" Brittany asked. "Vanessa. Bye." Vanessa walked back inside the room and shut the door. She locked it just in case Brittany came in and started fighting with Vanessa. Vanessa calmed herself down, then Zac started waking up. He looked deeply into Vanessa eyes. Vanessa stared into Zac's eyes. Then she heard a knock on the door.

Vanessa stood up to open the door and three people walked inside. _Maybe his parents and his brother. _Vanessa thought. "Mom...Dad?" Zac asked quietly. "Oh my poor son. Are you alright?" his mom asked. Zac shook his head. He looked over at Vanessa. Brittany came in. "Zaccy!!" Brittany ran to hug him. "Wait.." Vanessa trailed off. "Why are you still here?" Brittany asked. "It looked like Zac was gonna say something before you walked in." Vanessa told Brittany. Everyone in Zac's room were as silent as possible. Zac looked at Brittany then looked at Vanessa. He knew Vanessa looked familiar. "V?" That was all he said. Vanessa smiled and, "Why don't you remember me?" Brittany asked. "I don't know who you are. I'm sorry." Zac replied with a weak voice. "Let him get his rest. I promised the doctor that I would stay here with him and help him for about a couple of months." Vanessa told Zac's parents. "You are a sweet girl. Are you sure that you'll be able to take care of our son?" his mom asked. "Yes, I promise you that. And I definately keep my promises." Vanessa told Zac's mom. Zac's parents left Brittany, Vanessa, and Zac alone in Zac's hospital room.

"Umm.." Zac paused. He was trying to remember Brittany's name. "It's Brittany." Brittany told Zac sweetly. She was trying to get even with Vanessa, but it wasn't working. "I need the necklace back." Zac said. "Why?" Brittany whined. "I just need it." Zac couldn't say anymore after that. He was tired, so Brittany took off the necklace Zac gave her and left the room quietly crying. "I think I was gonna give this to you." Zac gave Vanessa the necklace. "Thank you." Vanessa was happy. She got almost everything she's ever wanted. "I'm gonna help you get your memory back starting tomorrow. Good night Zac." Vanessa smiled. Zac smiled back. "Thank you. Good night V." He felt straight asleep as Vanessa left the room; she took a look at the necklace and smiled as she held it close to her heart. _I love you Zac. _Vanessa thought as she started to walk home.


	4. Good morning

When Vanessa finally was finally at home, she couldn't sleep. She was lonely. She drove back to the hospital and parked her car in the car garage across the street. It was already starting to snow. She went into Zac's room and sat on the chair. She thought for a couple of minutes. She didn't want to sleep on the chairs because they were too hard. Vanessa got up and went onto Zac's bed. As Vanessa was drifting off to sleep, Zac woke up. He saw that Vanessa was in his bed with him; he wrapped his arms around Vanessa and drifted off to sleep. The next morning, Vanessa woke up. Zac was already awake. "Good morning." Zac smiled. "Good morning." Vanessa got out of bed. "Now, let's try and get your memory back." Vanessa took Zac's hands. "Let's get you to start walking." "I don't want to." Zac begged. "You have to Zac. Now, get out of this bed or else." Vanessa played. "Fine." Zac got out of bed. At first he was still unstable, but Vanessa was there beside him the whole time. Zac's doctor was watching and smiling.

For the last time, Vanessa let go. Zac walked on his own. "Great job!!" Vanessa playfully clapped. Vanessa turned around and the doctor was standing there. "Hi." Vanessa beamed. "He walked on his own." Vanessa told the doctor. "I was watching. You're a good teacher." the doctor told Vanessa. "Why thank you. I help the kids at the community center down the street and they say that I'm a good teacher." Vanessa smiled. "I should take Zac out next week." Vanesa thought. "He might need to remember names first before going out." the doctor told Vanessa. "Yeah, you're right. My birthday's coming up in 3 weeks and 2 years ago my boyfriend promised me that he would take me out to dinner on my birthday. But it never happened because he had another girlfriend. Brittany. So, I've been taking myself out to dinner these past two years. Now, I'm hoping that Zac's gonna be well enough to take me out on a date." Vanessa was a little worried. "If you can do this everyday, I bet that he'll be alright by your birthday. But it'll take 3 to 4 months to get his full memory back. So for now, he'll only remember you, his parents, and his brother." the doctor smiled and gave Vanessa a schedule. He walked out.

"What is that?" Zac asked pointing at the piece of paper in Vanessa's hand. "My schedule. The days I--I have to switch with someone else starting tonight?" Vanessa was shocked. "Who are you gonna switch with?" Zac walked over to Vanessa. "Corbin Bleu." Vanessa replied. There was a knock at the door. It was 5pm. "Hi." the guy walked in. A girl followed him. "Hi." Vanessa and Zac smiled. "I'm Corbin. You're Vanessa right?" Corbin asked Vanessa. "Yeah. That's right." Vanessa smiled and turned to Zac. "Look, I have to go. Have fun." Vanessa was about leave, when someone called her name. She turned around and saw that it was her best friend Monique. "You leave, but never say good bye?" Momo asked. "Oh, bye. Have fun." Vanessa smiled as she hugged her best friend and walked out. She drove back to her house and went back to sleep. She was happy to be with her friends again.


	5. Our first date

3 weeks later..."Where are you taking me?" Zac asked Vanessa. "You'll see." Vanessa giggled. She wasn't taking him to the restaurant; she was taking Zac to the beach.

Once they got there, "Take off your shoes and your socks." Vanessa told Zac. "Why?" Zac asked. Vanessa giggles, "Just take them off."

Vanessa started to take off her shoes. Zac immediately listen and felt the sand under his feet. "Guess where we are?" "Hmm..." Zac smiles. "..the beach?"

"Yup." Zac finally opened his eyes and saw Vanessa looking at him with her dark brown eyes. "Can I show you something V?" Zac asked Vanessa.

Vanessa smiled and nodded. Zac led Vanessa to the park. _Hmm...I wonder why we're here. _Vanessa thought. Zac told Vanessa to sit on the swings.

She remembered this. _Our first date. _She thought and smiled. She couldn't believe that Zac remembered her and where their first date was.

"Ya wanna come with me to my house? To celebrate something?" Vanessa asked. "What are we celebrating?" Zac asked curiously. "My birthday silly!!" Vanessa playfully slapped Zac on the arm and took off running.

Zac ran after Vanessa and grabbed her waist. Their laughter filled the night sky and as soon their laughter faded; they stared into each others eyes.

They both looked deeply at each other, wondering what would happen next. "So..um, it's hot out here." Vanessa smiled. "Nah, the weather's fine." Zac smiled as he leaned in.

Vanessa leaned in as well and both shared a passionate kiss. _This is the best birthday I've had in 2 years. _Vanessa thought as they pulled back from the kiss and started walking towards her car.

When they both finally reached Vanessa's house, Zac didn't know that their friends were there. An hour later.."So, how's your birthday so far?" Ashley asked Vanessa.

"It's great..oh and guess what!!" Vanessa squealed. "What is it?" Monique asked. "Zac totally remember our first date. He took me to the park. How sweet is that?"

Vanessa asked her friends. "So cute!!" Miley too was there.


	6. I love him

A year later.."Hey V!!" Ashley called. "Yeah?" Vanessa asked. "Are you gonna sign up for HSM3?" Ashley asked.

"Of course. It's senior year." Vanessa hugged her best friend. "So..how are you and Zac doing?" Monique asked.

"Me and Zac. Hmm..let me see. Pretty good. He's been honest with me and he's doing a movie." Vanessa replied with a smile.

"Hey..isn't that him right over there?" Miley asked. Vanessa turned around. Her smile turned into a frown.

"Isn't that Brittany Snow?" asked Monique. "Uh..yeah." said Vanessa. Miley wondered, "We should see what she's up to."

"Miles..no way. That's like..a really great idea." Ashley commented. "Yeah..what do you think V?" asked Monique.

Vanessa smiled and nodded, "It truely is." Vanessa and her 3 best friends walked up to Zac and Brittany. "Hi Zac." Ashley greeted him.

"Zac, you didn't tell me you have friends." Brittany told them. "Brittany, we already know you." Vanessa said. "How?" Brittany asked.

"Umm..let's see. Remember at the hospital?" Vanessa wondered. "What!?" Brittany was already confused.

_flashback_

_"what are you doing?!" the girl was pissed. "um..nothing." vanessa took her hand away from the guy's hand. "good, now if i catch you again, you're dead." the girl left. 'who the hell is she?' vanessa thought. "hey!!" vanessa called out to the girl. "what??" the girl asked. "you don't know who you're messing with." vanessa was so mad. "and you're acting like you're the boss. well, you're not. that guy right there is taken.." the girl pointed to the guy. "if he's taken what's his name?" vanessa asked. "zac efron. oh, i'm brittany snow by the way. and you are?" brittany asked. "vanessa. bye." vanessa walked back inside the room and shut the door._

_end of flashback_

"So...what's your point?" Brittany asked. "My point is..you're not wearing a necklace. Why?" asked Vanessa. "Umm..because Zac gave it to some girl he remembered." Brittany scoffed.

"And the girl's name was??" Ashley questioned. "Vanessa." Brittany rolled her eyes. She was so annoyed. All she wanted to do was spend time with Zac.

"Zac..I think it's time for you to decide who you're gonna be with." Miley told him. "Cause if it's Brittany, you're making a bad mistake in your life."

The four girls walked away. "What does that mean?" Brittany asked. "I really don't know." Zac replied.

"I hope he doesn't choose Brittany. She's mean, a snob, but in front of the camera she's really nice. I don't get it." Vanessa paced back and forh in Ashley's room.

"Everyone says that about her these days, but..she in love with Zac and Zac could be in love with you." Ashley remembered the day V and Zac were paired with each other everytime they filmed HSM.

"Could?" Vanessa sat down. "He has too love me. I love him." Vanessa told Ash. "We all know you love him. It's just Zac hasn't realized that you love him." Ash hugged Vanessa.

"I'm gonna call him." Vanessa took out her cell phone and started dialing Zac's phone number. "Hello?" Zac answered. "Zac, it's V and..I have to tell you something."

Vanessa walked out of the room and downstairs into the living room.


	7. Drake Bell

"What do you have to tell me V?" Zac asked. He was really busy right now with Brittany, but she didn't interfere with the phone call except listen from the other line.

"Ok..but you have to make sure no one is listening. Even if they're lying to you." Vanessa told Zac over the phone. Zac told V that he would be back in a few minutes.

He went to his room and saw that Brittany was there with the phone in her hand. "Put the phone back and do something else other than listen on the phone." he told her.

"Fine." she replied by grabbing a book off of the shelf. Zac picked up the phone again, "No one's listening." he told her. Vanessa was sure that she felt confident.

Even though she was really scared to tell him. "Zac, Brit has told you she loves you..right?" she asked. "Yeah." he sat down.

"But.." she sighed. "Who do you love?" Zac thought. _Why am I always put with the hard questions? _Then he suddenly remembered something.

_flashback_

_"Zac, what do you think?" Vanessa came out of the dressing room in a little black strapless dress that went slightly above her knees. "What do I think?" he asked. Vanessa nodded. "It's too short. To dark. And I definately love it." he told her. "Thank you Zaccy!!" she hugged him. After the hug, Vanessa bought the dress and just about they were out of the store. Zac said, "I love you V." "I love you too Zac." she replied as they walked together hand in hand towards Zac's car._

_end of flashback_

"Zac..you there?" Zac flashed his mind back to reality. "You V." he replied. "I love you too Zac. See you tomorrow." Vanessa hung up the phone.

"So..what did he say?" Miley asked. "He said that he loved me. Maybe we went shopping one time and I came out in this little black strapless dress which went slightly above my knees. I'm guessing he fell for that. "

Vanessa told her friends. "There's a party tomorrow night. And only the cast of high school musical are allowed in. Zac could be your date.

I'll ask Kenny if I could invite Miley, then Miley could bring whoever she wants to, to the party tomorrow."

Ashley suggested. "Wait...Ash, if Zac's going, Brit would wanna go to the party too. But..obviously she'll beg him to invite her.

He'll talk to Kenny about it and if Kenny says yes, then everything will be a HUGE disaster." Monique told her friend.

"You're right Momo. So..I'm gonna have to find a date myself." Vanessa told her friends. "So...who are you gonna invite?" Miley asked. She was thinking about inviting Nick Jonas to the party.

"I'm gonna have to say.." she paused thinking about the TV show that she did in 2006 before she did high school musical. "..Drake Bell."

"Drake Bell? Isn't he that guy you kissed on Drake and Josh?" Ashley asked. "Yeah. Zac was cool with it." Vanessa told her friends.

"So..we've got to get this plan set up. V you call Drake and Miley..obviously you're gonna call Nick. Right?" "Right." Vanessa and Miley both said at the same time.

And soon enough.. the girls started working.


	8. Ow!

**Monique and Ashley had to take care of setting up the plan, while Vanessa and Miley had to work things out with Drake and Nick.**

**Once Vanessa finished calling Drake and Miley finished calling Nick; Ashley and Monique were already finished setting up the plan.**

**"So, what's the plan?" Vanessa asked. The five of them gathered around and started talking about the plan.**

**"Are you guys sure that'll work?" Miley asked. "Of course. Ash and I both worked everything out." **

**Monique told her friends. "Excatly. So all we have to do is wait till Drake and Nick arrive, then we'll tell them the plan."**

**Ash added. Once Drake and Nick had arrived, "Wait..so V, you're asking me to go to a party with you?" **

**Drake asked Vanessa.**

**"Yeah. Since Zac's probably gonna ask Brittany to go with him. So..I thought, 'Why can I have a date then if Zac's taking Brit?'" V told Drake.**

**Miley told Nick the excat same thing, but instead she said, "Ash wanted me to come because she was going to ask Kenny. And if he said yes, then I could come..so I thought of bringing you as my date to the party that Ash and V are going to."**

**At the party..."Look, there's Brit and Zac!!" Momo pointed out.**

**"Now we see them, let's put the plan into action. V, you and Drake know what to do..right?"**

**Ashley asked. "Yup." Vanessa ran to say "hi" to Zac, but pretended to break her heel.**

**"Ow!!" Vanessa cried. Zac quickly ran over, "V..you okay?" he asked. "I don't know. It really hurts..really bad." **

**Drake suddenly walks over to Brit. "Your name's Brittany. Am I right?" he asks. **

**"Yeah, and..who are you?" she asks Drake. "Drake." he replied holding out his hand. Back with V and Zac, "Let me help you up." Zac held out his hand.**

**"No..no, I don't need any help. I can get up just fine." Vanessa told him as she started to get up, but "pretended" to fall back down again. "You sure V? Because..." he was quickly interrupted.**

**"Yea, I'm totally sure Zac." V smiled as she got up again and started to "limp" towards the table where her friends were sitting. With Drake and Brittany, "I'll call you." Brittany smiled. "Sure." Drake walked away to the table where V was sitting.**

**"Hey baby." Brittany walked up to him. "What's wrong?" "Nothing, I just need to go outside for a few minutes." he told her as he started to walk back outside.**

**"Can I come with?" she asked politely. Zac ignored her question and she quickly walked over to the table where Vanessa was. "You faked it!!" she pounded her hands on the table.**

**"Faked what Brit?" Monique asked. "Oohh..you little--" "What? Brats? Well, one of those brats are leaving. Momo, Ash, Milez..tell me how it goes." Vanessa told her friends as she walked off towards the entrance.**

**She finally saw Zac just sitting there, staring at the ground. So..she decided to sit down next to him. "Hey." she greeted him quietly. "Look..I'm really sorry. I know Brit's a friend..but she's mean to my friends and mean to me."**

**Vanessa told him. "You don't have to be sorry Ness. Because..I saw Miley, and..she told me the whole thing." Zac said to Vanessa.**

**Right then, Vanessa had no idea what to say. Who should she trust? Miley or Zac. "Zac, I know Brit loves you as much as I do. But..sometimes, we have to see what's right in front of us. I love you Zac. And, I would never do anything to hurt you. See you tomorrow..I think." and with that statement, Vanessa walked away.**


	9. Big News!

The next morning, Vanessa arrived at the set of HSM3 in Utah. That's when she saw Zac waiting there. _For who? _She thought as she started walking towards him.

"Hey, who are you waiting for?" she asked 20 year old boyfriend. "For you." he told Vanessa, his 19 year old girlfriend.

"Finally you're here V!!" Ashley found her. "What is it?" Vanessa asked. "C'mon, Kenny needs to talk to you about something." Ashley said to Vanessa.

"Are you lying?" Ness asked. "Nope. He's inside the school." Ash said. Ness walked inside the school and found Kenny.

"Zac, I'm totally serious!! I'm not lying!!" Ashley kept following Zac as he kept ignoring her. "If you're not lying, tell me what Kenny's going to say to her."

Zac said firmly to Ashley. "He just told me to find V." Ashley knew she was telling the truth. "Even ask Momo." Ashley pointed to where Monique was standing.

Monique was talking to Corbin. Vanessa came back to where Zac and Ashley were waiting for her. "Well, I gotta go. Bye." Vanessa walked off.

Ashley and Zac followed her. "V, you're our best friend." Ashley grabbed a hold of Vanessa's arm. "Tell us what Kenny told you." Ashley begged.

"Okay." Vanessa sighed and told them what Kenny told her. The excat explination. "Why?" Zac asked. "I don't know. Look, but..I have to go. I'll see you guys."

Vanessa left the set.

Monique, Corbin, and Lucas walked up to the two. "Where's V going?" Lucas asked. Ashley and Zac both explained to the 3 about what happened to V.

"Oh my gosh. Will she be alright?" Monique was worried about her friend. "That..we don't know." Ashley said to them. "But we hope she is." Zac added.

V was on a plane back to LA. A few months later, HSM3 was a hit movie. Vanessa wanted to finally go out and see the movie, but..people would see her.

She decided to buy the movie instead the next year. Once she bought it, she played the DVD and saw how much effort all of her friends put into the movie.

The songs, the dances, the people, and the director made V feel like home. No one called her for a year after she left. Not even Zac.

Her sister Stella visited her a few times with their parents, but V never saw her again. In fact, Vanessa never saw any of her friends again.

Suddenly, the next day Vanessa recieved an invitation. The party was being held at the dance club down the street from Vanessa's apartment.

She told her self, _Maybe I should go. It'll be fun..I hope. _She prayed as she scanned her closed for something to wear.

V pulled out a white halter top dress with matching shoes. She took out her silver earrings and one of her silver rings.

She walked down the street to the club and noticed that Kenny was only there. "Hi Kenny!!" V greeted him. "How are you doing Vanessa?" he asked.

"I'm doing great. So..where's everyone?" V asked Kenny. "Oh, they'll be here any minute. Just you wait." Kenny encouraged V.

V was almost 20 years old, even though it was August. She walked around the club for a minute and finally sat down. She was exhausted.

Then someone came up behind her. "Guess who?" a familiar voice asked. "Um.." she was trying to think. "Zac?" she asked.

The hands pulled away and Vanessa turned around. She smiled as soon as she saw him. "Oh my gosh!! Zac!!" she hugged him.

"I'm guessing you missed me V." Zac guessed. "A WHOLE lot." she hugged him as tight as possible. "Me too." they finally pulled back.

Suddenly, Ash and Lucas entered the club. The two of them were greeted by Vanessa and Zac. "It's been a year since we've last seen you." Ashley said as she hugged her friend.

"I know. I really missed you guys." V agreed. "But, I have something to tell you." Ashley took V's hand and led her away from the guys.

"What is it?" V asked. "I'm getting married!!" Ash showed V her engagement ring. Vanessa was so excited for Ashley. "To who??" V asked.

Ashley smiled. "Guess!!" "Um..Jared?" V asked. "No. He and I broke up. I don't excatly know why, but it's totally true." Ash explained.

"I can't guess. Tell me!!" V begged. "Okay..you might be mad, but..." "You're getting married to Ashley?" Zac asked Lucas. "Yeah. Why?" Lucas asked.

"Isn't she supposed to get married to Jared?" Zac asked. "Yeah, they broke up. She doesn't know why." Luc explained. "Hey, you know what? I'm happy for you."

Zac man-hugged Lucas. "Thanks man!!" Lucas thanked Zac.

V and Ash walked up to the guys. "Where's Momo and Corbin?" Ash and V asked. The boys shrugged their shoulders.

Yeah, where are Momo and Corbin?


	10. Good night Zac

2 hours later... "V, thanks for letting us stay at your apartment." Ashley thanked her best friend.

"No problem. You and Luc can sleep in my room, while I'll sleep in the living room." Vanessa unlocked the door of her apartment.

"It's the only way I could help a friend." she told them as she turned on the lights. "Nice place." Lucas complimented. "Thanks." Vanessa smiled.

"My room's down the hall on your right." she added as she watched her friends Ashley and Lucas walk into her room, closing the door behind them.

"Things changed around here." Zac said sitting down on the couch. "Yeah. What about your apartment?" V asked sitting next to him, but not too close.

"It's still the same, but it gets pretty quiet. Without you V..something's always missing." he stared into Vanessa brown eyes.

"Yea, I can't sleep at night because I know that you're out there thinking about me." she smiled. "And..I should go and brush my teeth." Vanessa stood up and walked towards the bathroom.

Zac followed her there. "What am I going to brush my teeth with?" Zac asked. "I don't know." Vanessa said looking around the cabinets for an extra brush.

"Hey, isn't your brother coming to visit you?" Vanessa wondered. "Yeah, he's asleep in a my apartment right now." Zac answered.

"Okay, I have no extra brushes. So..." she looked at Zac, who looked at her toothbrush. "No way..you are NOT using mine." Vanessa grabbed her brush before Zac.

"C'mon. I promise..I'll wash it after I use it. Please?" he begged. "No. Where is your apartment?" she asked him. "You know where it is V. 4th floor." he said to her.

"Why don't we just go there and get the things you need?" she took her jacket. "I'm not waking up my brother just to get a toothbrush." he said.

"Wow, you're just waiting for me to give up... so YOU can use my toothbrush. I'm not falling for that Mr. Efron. We're going and that's final."

Vanessa grabbed Zac's hand and pulled him towards the elevator. "Why do I have to go with you?" he asked. "You've definately changed, haven't you?" Vanessa asked.

They both waited till the people exited the elevator before they entered. When they both arrived on the 4th floor, Vanessa asked Zac where his apartment was.

Zac told her where to go and finally they reached his apartment. They both entered the apartment quietly, grabbed the things Zac needed, and headed back to V's apartment.

In the living room of Nessa's apartment, "So, you're brother's like what..17 and you still let him stay in your apartment?" V asked Zac right after she yawned.

"He's not 18 yet, where was he supposed to stay? At our parents' house, no way. He's been staying with them for almost 18 years and he finally wants to be "free" of their rules." Zac explained.

Vanessa remembered something, "Stells coming to LA..this time alone." "Cool, maybe the four of us should hang out together." Zac stated. "Four?" Nessa asked him with tired eyes.

"You, me, Ash, and Luc. Don't worry.. your sister will be in good hands." Zac said. "You told me your brother's completely insane, but you love him anyway. Why don't we just take them with us?"

she asked him. "Fine, what ever you say Ms. Hudgens." Zac yawned. "Good night V." he turned off one of the lamps. V turned off the other as she watched Zac shift around the floor.

"Good night Zac." she smiled and fell asleep on the couch.


	11. Meeting Dylan and Stella

The next morning, V woke up to hear a loud crash. She gasped as she woke up and quickly ran towards the front door. She opened the door to see who it was, until...

"Corbin?" she asked the guy. "Vanessa?" he asked. "It really is you!!" Vanessa hugged him. Vanessa suddenly thought of something. "I heard a crash, what about you?" she asked Corbin.

"Yeah, from downstairs. Someone bumped into me. I was on my way to Luc's apartment when I heard you." he explained.

"Zac's in my apartment with Ash and Luc, why don't you come with me?" Vanessa wondered. "You sure that's alright with you?" Corbin asked Vanessa as he followed her.

"I'm totally sure." Vanessa smiled as she opened the door to her apartment and followed Corbin inside as she closed the door behind her.

Zac was still asleep, so was Luc. Ashley was already awake. "V, did you hear a loud crash this morning?" Ashley asked. "Yeah." Vanessa walked towards the kitchen.

"You know the weird thing about Zac and..is that.." Ashley stopped. Vanessa nodded. "Corbin. Wow, it really is you!! Where have you been all this time?" Ashley hugged him.

Ash and Corbin talked for a while. "What about Momo?" Ashley asked. "She and I moved on." he replied. "You want something to eat?" Ash asked him again. "No, it's fine." Corbin said.

Lucas walked out of the room; he noticed that Zac was still sleeping and Ashley was awake. Vanessa saw Luc, "Don't ask if we heard a crash 'cause we did. It was from downstairs anyway."

"Good, also..I was going to ask you why Corbin's here." Lucas wondered. "Yeah, why are you here Corbin?" V asked. "To visit you guys." Corbin replied.

"I can't believe Zac's still asleep." Vanessa said as she got up. "What time is it anyway?" Corbin asked. "Almost lunch. The 5 of us should go out for lunch. What do you guys say?" Ash asked.

"Totally." V said as she pulled the blanket off Zac. _C'mon Zac!! Wake up!! _She tried to shake him a little, but still Zac wouldn't wake up.

"Will one of you help me?" V asked her friends. "Fine." Ash got up and grabbed a glass of really cold water and told V to move aside.

V did what Ash told her and watched as Ashley poured the water all over Zac. Suddenly, "Whoa!! That's cold!!" Everyone started laughing.

At lunch, "Okay..you said your sister's coming, when?" Zac asked. "Um.." Vanessa checks her cell phone for the time. "In two hours, well..basically in an hour and a half." she added.

An hour later at Zac's apartment, "You're letting Corbin, Ash, and Luc watch your apartment?" Zac asked. "Yeah, I don't trust you sometimes." V joked. "That doesn't sound right." Zac said.

"It totally does. Your own brother is here." V pointed towards Zac's brother. "I told you that he needed a place to stay." Zac said. "Well..you're right." V smiled. "Dylan, you wanna meet my sister?"

V asked Dylan. "Who's your sister?" Dylan asked. "Stella." V said before opening the door. "Sure..I guess." Dylan said getting up from the couch and followed V. "Zac, are you coming or not?"

"Yeah.." Zac said. At the airport, "Stelly!!" V hugged her sister. "Nessy!!" Stella hugged her sister as well. Dylan and Zac both sat down and watched as the two girls started talking.

"What's wrong with them?" Stella asked. "They've always been like that. Where do you want to go first?" V asked Stella. "Can we go to the mall? You promised that we would the next time I come here."

Stella reminded her sister. "Alright, we can go Stells. C'mon guys." Nessa said taking her sister. "Wait..who's gonna carry my stuff?" Stella asked stopping her sister. Nessa thought and the both of them said, "The boys." They giggled and walked towards the parking lot, while the boys followed.


	12. Is that Momo

At V's apartment, "You have a cool apartment." Stella said. "Stells, you've seen this apartment many times. It's never been changed." V reminded her sister.

"I know, but it feels like I've never been here before." Stella said to her sister looking around. "Ash has been here?" she asked. "Uh..yeah, and about Ash.." Ash walks into the room.

"Stella!!" Ashley hugs Stella. "What about me V?" Ash asked Vanessa. "Um..the fact that--" "Not now." Ash said. "Fine. Whatever. Stells and I are going to the mall, wanna come?" V wondered.

Ashley thought about it before saying a word, "Hey..can the guys come?" Vanessa looked at the 4 guys who were in the room trying to tell her to say no.

"Yeah, the guys should come with us." Vanessa agreed walking out with her best friend and her sister as the guys followed. Vanessa told Stella to stay with Ashley for a while, so she can go talk to Zac.

She sat down beside him. "You okay?" asked Vanessa. "Don't you ever get tired of shopping?" he questioned Vanessa. "Sometimes, but..it's fun to go shopping with your friends."

Vanessa stood up. "Let's go walk around. I'll buy you something." She smiled. "Fine, but we're not going to end up with me carrying your stuff around. Deal?" Zac asked. "Deal." she took Zac's hand as they started walking.

"What do you want Zac?" V looked around. "Nothing really. I just want to be with you, that's all." he stopped walking. "Yeah..same here." V hugged Zac.

"Isn't that Momo?" Zac pointed out. V looked up and turned to see where he was pointing. "Let's go!!" Vanessa pulled Zac by the hand, as they walked up to Monique.

"Hi." Vanessa greeted her. "Hi." Monique greeted Vanessa. "Your name is Monique?" V asked. "Yeah. Why?" Monique asked. "Well, I had a friend name Monique. My name's Vanessa and this is Zac."

Vanessa explained. "Hudgens?" Monique wondered. Vanessa nodded. "Ohmygosh!! It's been a year since we haven't seen each other. Where's Corbin?" she hugged Vanessa.

"Over there somewhere." Vanessa pointed. "I haven't told Corbin this yet, but Ash and Luc are getting married." she added. "I thought she and Jared were perfect for each other." Monique thought.

"I know, but things didn't work out between them." Vanessa told Monique. "Well, I'm not doing anything this weekend, why don't we all go to my house? You know..a little reunion. Just a friend type of dinner."

Monique wanted to invite her friends over because she never saw them in a long time. "Sure. My sister's here, so..we'll bring her over too. If that's alright with you." Vanessa was really unsure.

"Of course she can come." Monique hugged her friend again. "Let's meet Corbin." Momo added. "Okay, c'mon." Vanessa grabbed her friends hand as they started walking.

Corbin was sitting there talking to Lucas, Ash and Stella were walking over to them. Dylan was already there. "Hey Stella, let's go walk around." Vanessa walked away. Zac and Dylan both followed.

"Yeah, we need to look around too. C'mon Lucas." Ash and Lucas walked away leaving Monique and Corbin alone. They had nothing to say.

Vanessa, Stella, Lucas, Ashley, Zac and Dylan were all at the food court, watching Monique and Corbin.


	13. Hello bitch

Then, Stella finally said, "Why are we doing this V?" "I don't know. What about you Ash?" Vanessa asked Ashley who was right beside her.

"Yea..I totally agree. I seriously don't know. Guys, let's just leave them alone." Ashley started walking away as Vanessa and Stella followed.

The guys sighed and followed the girls. Once they reached Vanessa's apartment, Zac asked Vanessa to come with him for minute or so. Vanessa agreed.

Outside, "You seem tense Zac. What's wrong?" Vanessa asked. "Lucas, Dylan, and I are suffering." Zac said to her. "Which means?" Vanessa had no idea what Zac's point was and plus, it's been a year since she's seen him.

"We've been following you girls around all day. Can the guys and I get some freedom around here?" he explained. "Yeah..at your apartment. Call Corbin..maybe he wants to go."

Vanessa entered her apartment. "Luc, Dylan..Zac's outside. Go to his apartment." Vanessa said walking towards her room. Lucas and Dylan didn't know what was going on.

So, they decided to go outside and meet Zac at his apartment. Ashley and Stella entered Vanessa's room, the three of them never heard the door open and close.

Monique entered Vanessa's room and saw that V was crying. "V, are you alright?" Monique asked. "Momo, I don't know what's gotten into him. He's never acted like this." Vanessa cried.

"Who? Zac?" Ashley asked. "Yeah. Maybe, it's just that we haven't seen each other for so long. Maybe it got him thinking that he should act like this." Vanessa explained.

She was really worried and angry at the same time. Her phone rang. "Stella, can you.." "Yeah." Stella gave the phone to Ashley and Ash answered it. "Hello?"

A few minutes later, after Ashley said good-bye, "Who called?" Vanessa asked, wiping her tears away. "Brittany." Ashley said. "Brittany?" Monique and Stella asked at the same time.

"Snow. Brittany Snow. She's been wanting to take Zac from me. She could have him, if she knew where he lived." Vanessa explained to her best friend and her sister.

"What about that necklace?" Ashley asked. "It doesn't mean anything to me. I should just give it back to him." Vanessa walked out of her room. "V, I'm coming with you. Momo, Stells..stay here."

Ashley ordered them. "If Brittany knocks on the door and asks if she could come inside, don't say one word."

Monique and Stella both nodded as they watched V, followed by Ashley, walk to the elevator. On the 4th floor, the girls got off and headed towards Zac's apartment.

Once they got there, Ashley knocked on the door and.."Brittany!?" Ashley and Vanessa said at the same time. "Hello bitch." Brittany greeted Vanessa. "Hi. I just wanted to give Zac something."

Vanessa entered the room. "And..he should know that he gave it to the wrong girl." Vanessa walked up to Zac. "What are you talking about?" Zac asked.

"Zac, you were in the hospital..about a few years ago. And you gave me something. It was a necklace. You said you didn't remember Brittany, but only remembered me."

Vanessa gave the necklace to Zac. "I believe that's Brittany's. But I have to go. Bye." Vanessa walked back to the front door. Zac was speechless and he had no idea what to say.

Ashley and Vanessa took the elevator, which stopped on the 3rd floor and the two of them walked back to Vanessa's apartment.


	14. Sexy dress

When Ash and V finally reached the apartment, they were really tired, but still they had time to explain everything to Momo and Stella. "So, what's the story about Brittany?" Momo asked.

"She's already there. V gave back the necklace." Ashley started. "Did she say anything? Did Zac say anything?" Stella asked. "She called me a bitch..I don't know if I called her that, but Zac was..."

Brittany enters. "You forgot to lock your door Ms. Hudgens. Zac wanted you to have it, but since you said it was mine..thank you." she interrupted Vanessa. "He was totally speechless. Just like--"

"I know. He's definately changed, but you have to go. Bye." Vanessa showed Brittany to the door and locked it. Just then, Vanessa's phone rings. "Hey Miles." Vanessa greeted her best friend.

"Hey V. How are you?" Miley asked. "Great. Guess who just came for a visit." Vanessa asked. "Who?" Miley wondered. "Brittany." Vanessa paced the room for a while.

"Are you serious? Did Zac say anything?" she asked again. "Um..no. I gave him back the necklace he gave to Brittany. He was really speechless." Vanessa explained.

"Well, you should come over to my house for a visit. Just you and the girls. I heard from Ash that your sister's here. I really want to meet her. If that's all right with you." Miley suggested.

"Totally fine. Anyways, Stella wanted to meet my friends anyway." Vanessa joked as soon as she saw her sister's face and started giggling.

"So..who is Zac gonna choose?" Miley asked. "Between me and Brittany, I don't think Brittany has a chance of winning." Vanessa thought. "Hey, your birthday is in 2 weeks...right?" Miley asked again.

"Yeah." Vanessa looked at the calendar to make sure her birthday was in two weeks. "Well, prove to Zac that you love him and make sure that Brittany doesn't do anything..seductive."

Miley hinted. "I know excatly what to do. With my friends right beside me. We're gonna go to your house right now. Is that okay with you Miles?" Vanessa took her car keys and her cell phone in her hand.

"Sure, that's great. I'll see you in 10 minutes. Bye V." Miley said. "Bye Miles." Vanessa hung up. "So, we're going see Miley?" Stella asked. "Yep. She would love to meet you sis." her sister replied smiling.

10 minutes later.."Cool, you guys made it. We have 2 weeks to prove that you love Zac. What are we going to do?" Miley asked her friends. "Wear something he'll never take his eyes off." Stella suggested.

"Sounds good to me, but I don't have anything to wear." V said. "Don't worry, we'll buy you something. Brittany has to be really jealous of you." Monique said.

"So..what are we going to do?" The girls thought for a moment, but nothing came to their minds. 1 week passes by. "Okay..what do you think?" Vanessa came out in a really sexy dress.

"Ohmygosh!! I totally love it and I would love to wear it!!" Ashley commented the dress. "I picked it out." Stella said. "Well, you did nothing..V looks great in it." Ashley said.

"Ash, she's my sister. I love what she chooses." V said taking her sister's side. "Okay..but it's no fun being the younger sibling." Ashley pouted.

"I have a sister too." Miley added. "But being a little sister is a good thing. You get to help your sister pick out clothes, see if they look good or not, and talk about boys with them."

"Guys, Brittany alert. She's with Zac." Momo spotted Brittany just as she walked in the store. "V, you go change and buy the dress, while we talk to Brittany. Miles, Stella..stay with V."

Ashley said as she and Monique quickly walked up to Brittany. V bought the dress and they were out of the store. Ashley and Monique were still talking with Brittany; Zac wanted to walk around.

"Hi." Vanessa greeted Zac with a smile and sat down beside him, followed by Miley and Stella. "Hey." he greeted Vanessa.


	15. cute white dress

"So, how are you with Brittany?" Vanessa asked Zac as soon as Brittany walked over. But Brittany cut Zac off before he could say one word.

"Life's great with me. C'mon Zaccy." Brittany grabbed Zac's hand as he groaned. He hated to be with her. "Your birthday is this week V, let's go and set everything up."

Ashley grabbed Vanessa's hand. "Where's my party going to be?" Vanessa asked. "Oh..I re-arranged a club for us to go to." The girls soon walked towards their cars.

Meanwhile with Brittany.."Zac what do you think?" Brittany asked herself. "About what?" Zac really hated this. "About me in this dress." Brittany looked down at herself in the mirror.

"It's..okay." Zac didn't want to lie to her if he said, 'You look really hot in it'..even though she didn't. "Are you lying?" she asked him. Zac thought if it was gonna end.

"No, of course not babe." he said. "Okay. I'm totally buying it then." Brittany walked back into the dressing room and Zac had the opportunity to walk away.

And of course he did. When Brittany came out, she couldn't find him. She shrugged her shoulders and bought the dress then started looking for Zac.

Since Zac was Brittany's ride to the mall, he walked out to his car and drove back to his apartment. He quickly went up to the 3rd floor and saw that Vanessa, Ash and the others were already there.

Ashley turned around and saw Zac; she told Vanessa that she would be right back. Vanessa nodded as she entered her aparment, leaving the door unlocked.

"What are you doing here? Where's Brittany?" Ashley asked Zac. "She's at the mall." Zac replied. "You left her at the mall?" Ashley questioned.

"I know. It was a bad thing, but she'll have to find some other way to get here." Zac said. "Why don't you come to V's birthday this Saturday? It'll be loads of fun."

Ashley smiled before she walked in. "Oh and Luc's down at his aparment with the guys." Ashley reminded Zac before he walked away.

"Thanks. I'll be there. Where is V's party?" Zac asked. "I'll call you for more details. Luc knows, but don't ask him." Ashley entered V's apartment as Zac entered Luc's.

Inside Vanessa's apartment, "You were out ther for like 5 minutes..where were you?" Monique asked. "Talking to Zac and he's coming to your party this Saturday."

Ashley explained. "You invited him. Is Brittany coming?" Miley asked. "No..he left her at the mall. He said that she would have to find another way to get here."

Ashley said to them as she headed out the door. "Where are you going?" Momo asked. "I have to tell Zac about V's party. And don't worry..it'll be fun. I promise."

Ashley walked out of the apartment and headed to Luc's apartment.

"So..what are we going to do now?" Vanessa asked. "Since your party's this Saturday, I have to go and pick out what I'm going to wear." Momo said before she went out the door.

"Yeah..me too. Bye Ness!! See you this Saturday." Miley said as she hugged Vanessa and followed Monique towards the elevator.

"It's just you and me..right Stelly?" Vanessa looked down at her sister with her hands on her hips. "What am I going to wear? You know Zac's brother..right?"

Stella asked as she followed her sister in to her room. "Of course. Why do you ask?" Vanessa looked at her sister. "Do you like him?"

Stella nodded, blushing slightly. "Aww..that's sweet. Wait, isn't he like 6 years older than you?" V asked her sister looking through her closet again.

"I know, but he's cute." Stella said looking through her suitcase the she brought. "You left shadow with mom and dad again...didn't you?" Ness asked her sister.

Again, Stella nodded. "Oooh!! What about this dress?" Vanessa asked her sister as she showed her a cute white halter top dress.

"Soo..cute!! Can I see if it fits?" Stella entered the bathroom and came out in the white dress 5 minutes later. "Oh my gosh!! That's so cute!!" Vanessa looked at her sister.

"Since I picked a sexy black dress out for you, you picked out a cute white dress out for me. What do you think Zac will wear to your party?" Stella asked her sister.

"A tux proabably." Vanessa also wondered what Zac was going to wear.


	16. 911

On December 14th, it was finally Vanessa's 21st birthday. "Ash, it seems to me like I--" "Don't say that Ness. You're totally not old. You're young and really fun."

Ashley interrupted. "Everyone's here except for Zac." Miley said. "Nick, have you seen Zac?" Miley asked her boyfriend, which Nick finally got the courage to ask Miley to be his girlfriend.

Nick shook his head. "No, I didn't see him." Vanessa decided to take out her cell phone and call Zac, but he didn't answer. "Ash, are you sure he said he was coming?"

Vanessa asked Ashley. "I'm totally positive." Ashley told them. Vanessa phone rings again.

"Hello?" Vanessa answered. Vanessa talked for a while and then hung up. "What is it?" Monique asked. "Zac's coming in 5 minutes." Vanessa told them as she sat down.

"Is Brittany coming?" Miley asked Vanessa as she sat down beside her. "No. She's really mad at him for leaving her at the mall the other day." Vanessa told her friends.

5 minutes later Zac arrived, like he said he would. Vanessa looked up and smiled at him. He smiled back like there was nothing wrong between the two.

Zac walked up to Vanessa and whispered in her ear that he need to talk to her privately. Vanessa nodded and told her friends that she would be right back.

They nodded as they watched Vanessa and Zac walk away. Outside, "It's a nice night tonight. Isn't it?" Vanessa asked Zac.

"Yeah, it is. Especially when you're around V." he complemented Vanessa, which made her blush. "So, how are you and Brit?" Vanessa asked.

"We worked some things out and I finally decided that she should go find someone else. She understood and said that she would come back, unless if she needed a shoulder to cry on. Then I told her that I was okay with it and she left."

Zac explained. "Oh.." Vanessa took a deep breath in and let it out with a sigh. "What are you going to do? Now that you're single and that your brother is leaving."

"That..I know excatly what to do. Since this HSM3 and all of the other movies I've done, I've decided to take a break from the fame and just take a vacation."

he said to Vanessa. Vanessa sat down and smiled at him. He sat down as well. "What are you going to do Ms. Hudgens?" he asked her.

"Same thing. But I would like to hang out with the girls mostly. Only..if they're not busy." Vanessa added. "Plus, I really want to tell you what Kenny told me last year, but I can't."

"Why is that?" Zac asked. "Well, he said to me that if I told anyone else about what he said to me, he said that Zac knows." she answered his question.

"And how should I know about what he told you?" Zac wondered. "I don't know. He also said, that if I ever found you a few years later..then ask him what he would like to do in the future." Vanessa added.

"And that would be it?" asked Zac. Vanessa nodded. "What would you like to do in the future anyway?" Vanessa wondered. "Um..well, mostly likely I'm not so sure about that."

Vanessa looked down at the floor for a few seconds then looked back up at Zac. "I mean..like have you ever dreamed or wished about..you know, getting married?"

she asked Zac. "Sometimes." Zac answered. "Sometimes?" Vanessa wanted to know more. "Well, yeah." Zac hesitated.

"Then, why did you take me out here?" Vanessa asked as she got up. "Because..." he he paused. "...V, when you left after HSM3, I didn't know what do." he stated.

Then he continued. "I was totally lost without you. I would just stay home and think about you all the time. Where you would be and who was with you.

But when I finally saw you, I thought you already forgot about me and that you would never want to talk to me. Now, I know that you never loved anyone else, but me."

he finished. Vanessa was speechless. "I was lost without you too Zac. I didn't know who to go to. I lost everyone's phone number and got a new phone."

Vanessa said. "I missed you and I wouldn't love anyone else but you Zac. Going separate ways would be hard for me. I love you Zac."

Vanessa turned and walked back in the room. Suddenly Zac's friends found Zac outside and they talked for a while.

Vanessa's friends found Vanessa outside crying. "V, it's your birthday. Why are you crying?" Ashley asked.

"I love Zac and..." she stopped. "What is it V?" Stella asked looking around to see why V stopped. V got up and entered the building, her friends followed.

"Where are you going?" Monique asked. Vanessa walked all the way to the spot where Zac had taken her. More tears ran down her cheek, but she didn't bother to wipe them away.

She kneeled down and asked her friends to call 911. She asked the guys what happened and they just shrugged their shoulders.


	17. On Christmas

Vanessa paced back and forth in the hospital on her 21st birthday. Vanessa was nervous, scared, and hopeless without any of her friends (including Zac).

She thought that all hopes were lost and can never regained. She thought about the talk she had with Zac that same night, before they rushed to the hospital immediately.

Her friends had told her that it was time for them to go home and to tell them the news about what happened. She just nodded and watched as they left the building.

Just then, Vanessa recieved a phone call from her sister making sure Vanessa was alright. Vanessa told her sister that she was totally fine, even if she wasn't.

They said their good-byes as the doctor walked out of the room. Vanessa was sitting down in one of the chairs just as the doctor came out.

With tears in her eyes, Vanessa just let them run. The doctor told Vanessa that she could have a few minutes with the patient. Vanessa nodded.

Vanessa entered the room and saw him...lying there as cold as ice. She closed the door behind her, but Vanessa didn't want a few minutes. Not even a few hours.

She wanted to spend a whole night with him, just because she didn't want to be alone. She wiped her tears away and slowly walked up to the side of the bed.

She smiled as she saw how peaceful he was. She looked over to one side of the room and found his jacket, which was hanging on the coat rack.

Vanessa quietly walked up to it and wondered if she could find anything, she did. She suddenly pulled out a small black velvet box and wondered what was inside.

Quietly, she opened the box and took a "little" peek. All she could do was stare what was inside the box, inside the box was a diamond ring. A heart shaped diamond.

_Custom made. _She thought as she took the ring out of the box and saw some writing on the ring. She didn't notice that the doctor was entering the room, but she read the writing instead.

_Vanessa...love lasts forever wtih you. _She felt a little heart broken, but she decided to put the ring in the box and put the box where she got it.

She turned around and..."I didn't--" "I know." the doctor smiled. Vanessa smiled back. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked as she looked at Zac. The doctor nodded.

Vanessa found out that the doctor was only checking to see if Zac was okay and left the room, leaving Vanessa and Zac alone. She took the box out of the pocket and all she did was stare at the diamond ring.

-

Zac finally awoke, but all he saw was Vanessa. No one else in the room. He thought he was dreaming, but he wasn't. His arm hurt as he tried to move it and realized that his whole right arm was broken.

Vanessa looked and quickly saw that Zac was awake. She looked down at the ring and back up at Zac. She didn't know he was awake, but something inside told her that he was.

She got up from the bed, but felt Zac's hand grab her arm. She turned around to face him and it felt as if her heart skipped a beat as she stared into his shining blue eyes as Zac stared into hers.

Then, someone entered the room. Vanessa turned around to see who it was and it was Brittany. Brittany was crying. When Brittany saw the box on the table, she was about to grab it, but Vanessa was quick.

"What is that?" Brittany asked. "What?" Vanessa looked at the box. "Oh..this? Yeah, it's a ring." "For who?" Brittany stared at the box in Vanessa's hand. "I don't know." Vanessa lied.

Brittany looked at Zac, "Zac, are you okay?" "I'm fine." Zac told her. Vanessa looked at Zac's right arm, saw that it was in a cast and looked at the table beside him. There was a picture of her, she smiled.

Brittany left 10 minutes later, but still..Vanessa stayed. "I thought you were going to leave." Zac joked. "I can't sleep, unless I know you're safe and I know you are. I just can't handle sleeping alone in my apartment, not even if Stella's there." she explained.

"So, how's everyone?" Zac asked. "Okay. But they're still wondering what happened. What DID happen Zac?" she asked him, still looking at the box.

Zac thought for a while.

-

_Vanessa turned and walked back in the room. Suddenly Zac's friends found Zac outside and they talked for a while. "So, did you say anything to her yet?" Corbin asked. "I was about to, but..."_

_"But what?" Lucas asked Zac as he turned around to see that the girls were going outside to talk to Vanessa. "I don't know if she was ready for moving on." Zac sighed and leaned against the rails._

_"How would you know if she wasn't ready?" Corbin asked as he too leaned against the rails. "I.. I.. don't know. I guess I felt it." he stumbled. "You felt it?" Lucas asked._

_"Well yeah." Zac said as he turned to face the street, but he didn't see anyone with a gun in their hand and that they were about to kill him. They missed and shot his right arm instead._

_Lucas and Corbin saw Zac falling and caught him. They placed him on the ground, not knowing what to do, Vanessa walked to the spot where Zac had taken her._

_More tears ran down her cheek, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She kneeled down and asked her friends to call 911. She asked the guys what happened and they just shrugged their shoulders._

-

"S..Someone shot me." he stuttered. "Wait..someone actually tried to kill you?" Vanessa asked Zac. Zac nodded. "Ohmygosh." She sat down beside Zac and tried to hug him as tight as possible.

"I'm sorry Zac." Vanessa felt really bad for him. "Look, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to figure out who shot you. I'll ask my friends if they saw anybody." Zac tried to hug Vanessa as well, but since his right arm was broken, he had to hug her with his left arm instead.

"I really wish that you could come home with me." Vanessa sighed. Zac saw the look in her eyes and knew that she still loved him, no matter how far away they were or how they never called each other, she still loved him.

The doctor entered the room. "We still haven't figured out why Zac has a broken arm." the doctor said to them. "He told me someone shot him." Vanessa said to the doctor.

"Do you know the full story?" the doctor asked. Vanessa shook her head, as if she didn't understand, but she knew Zac knew the story. The doctor looked at Zac and asked him the same question.

Zac sighed and knew it was time. So he told them the story and how the person with the gun tried to kill him. "Do you know might've tried to kill you?" the doctor wondered.

"We're not sure, but I think I may know who." Vanessa concluded. The doctor wanted to know the name of the person, so Vanessa told her. "I think it's Brittany Snow. I don't know where she lives, but she hates me for stealing Zac away from her, which is not true." Vanessa explained. The doctor told them that she would make some calls and that Zac should get some sleep.

Vanessa understood everything and got up. "Before I forget Zac, here. I took a little peek at it, if you didn't mind. But I have to go. I'll be back tomorrow morning with everyone." Vanessa smiled as she gave the box to Zac and kissed his check.

When Vanessa left, Zac opened the box with his left hand and stared at the ring. He sighed and closed the box. _On Christmas..._ and that was all he thought before going to sleep.


	18. Me to know and for you to find out

3 days before Christmas, "V, you look totally fine." Brittany told her. Vanessa and Brittany have become great friends since Brittany told her that she was the one who was about to kill Zac, which she didn't mean to because her friends told her to.

"Brit, are you sure Zac will--" "He'll love it V. I promise." Brittany hugged her friend. "Thanks that you're here. Ash and Momo have their problems to solve, but mine's huge." Vanessa smiled.

2 days before Christmas, the whole cast were eating out for dinner that day. "V, wow..love the dress." Ashley complemented. Vanessa smiled. "Thanks Ash. Love your dress too." They both hugged each other.

"So.." Monique stated after the dinner. "What do you think Zac will give you for Christmas?" she asked. "I don't know." Vanessa thought because she knew that there were a LOT of things Zac would give her.

On Christmas Eve at Zac's apartment, "So, when are you going to ask her?" Corbin asked Zac as he and Lucas started to play video games. "Tomorrow." Zac truthfully replied.

Both Lucas and Corbin dropped their controls, "I thought you were going to--" "Yeah, I know. I was thinking she wasn't ready guys, but I have to go." Zac headed for the door.

"Where you heading to?" Lucas asked. "V's aparment. Why?" Zac asked. "No reason. Let's just hope her friends aren't there." Corbin called out to Zac as he walked out of his apartment.

When Zac finally arrived at Vanessa's aparment, Vanessa answered the door. "Hi." she smiled. "No one's here except for you. Right?" Zac asked. Vanessa nodded. "Come in." Vanessa let Zac in and closed the door behind him. She locked the door and followed him towards the living room.

"Do you want anything?" she asked him. Zac shook his head. "No thanks." he replied. "Okay." Vanessa sat down on the floor. "Why are you on the floor Ms. Hudgens?" he joked. "Oh, I'm making a collage. Wanna see?" Vanessa showed Zac.

"Nice, but.." Zac started. "What? Is something missing?" Vanessa looked at her collage. "Yeah." he sat down next to her. "Please tell me Zac!!" she whined. "Fine. I'll tell you, but close your eyes first."

Zac said. "Why?" she asked him. "You just have to trust me." Zac smiled. Vanessa smiled and closed her eyes. Zac took out his camera and turned off the flash.

He then leaned in and kissed Vanessa as he took the picture. After that, Zac told Vanessa to open her eyes. "Is that all?" Vanessa asked confused. "Not that, but this." Zac gave her his camera.

Vanessa looked at the picture Zac recently just took. "Ah..is that what it's missing?" Vanessa asked jokingly. Zac smiled and leaned in again. Vanessa put the camera on the nearest table that she could reach and put her arms around Zac's neck.

Zac carried Vanessa all the way to her room, without hitting a thing. He carried her to the bed. After they kissed, "Do you know what time it is?" Vanessa asked. Zac shook his head.

"Time for us to pick up our parents at the airport." Vanessa said. "Wait..our parents are here?" Zac asked. He was confused and Vanessa saw the look on his face. She started giggling.

"Of course. I asked them to come see us. So, they decided to fly by plane to get here." Vanessa said getting up and walking to her closet. She picked out a casual blue jean pants, shoes, and a white shirt. She grabbed her jacket, car keys and her cell phone.

Zac followed Vanessa. "Are you sure that they're here?" he asked as they walked to Vanessa's car. "I'm totally sure. Now hurry up!!" Vanessa called as she unlocked her car. The two of them got into Vanessa's car and they drove off towards the airport.

Once they arrived at the airport, the first thing Vanessa saw was her sister. "Nessy!!" "Stelly!!" Both sisters hugged each other. Vanessa went up to her parents and started hugging them hello.

Zac did the same with his family and then Vanessa hugged Zac's family, while Zac hugged hers. "Where are you guys staying?" Vanessa asked her parents.

Her parents didn't decide where they should stay, so V decided that they should stay at her aparment. Her parents agreed. Everyone arrived at Vanessa's aparment and started talking about Christmas.

In Vanessa's kitchen, "Ness, what am I going to wear for tomorrow?" Stella asked. "Don't you have your own clothes to wear? Since I bought most of them for you." Vanessa reminded her sister.

"But.." "I know... I know. Show me the ones that you want to wear and then I'll ask the guys. Alright?" Vanessa asked her sister. "Okay." Stella walked out of the kitchen and entered her sister's room.

"What are you going to ask us?" Zac asked Vanessa. "I can't tell 'coz he's right there." Vanessa pointed towards Zac's brother. "And..it's a secret my sis' and I have. Sorry." Vanessa smiled.

Stella entered the kitchen with two of her favorite outfits or the ones that she wanted to wear. "Stella.." Vanessa stated. "What?" Stella asked. "Never mind. I like that one." Vanessa pointed to the red dress.

"Me too, but I like the white one." Stella whined. "But you already wore the white one." Vanessa grabbed her dress. "Now it's my turn." Vanessa took the red dress from her sister and turned to the guys.

"Okay, which one would you like Stella to wear. Red or white?" Vanessa asked the guys. The guys looked at each other for a while. "Red one." they both said. "And you have to agree with me?" she asked them.

"Yeah." they said again. Vanessa turned to her sister. "The red one it is." Vanessa gave her sister the red dress. "But.." "Majority rules sis. Get dress so I..I mean we can see how good you look in it." Vanessa said as her sister walked to the bathroom in Vanessa's room.

"Okay..should I tell you guys why I asked you to pick what dress for Stella to wear?" Vanessa asked the guys. "Yeah." Zac replied. "Fine, but both have to promise me you won't tell anyone. Not even our parents." Vanessa explained.

"I know you guys will. You'll just have to find out on your own Dyl." Vanessa said grabbing Zac's hand and the dress. Stella walked back outside and realized that her sister wasn't in the kitchen, just Dylan.

Outside Vanessa's apartment, "Wait..your sister loves my brother?" Zac asked. "Don't act like you haven't heard that before. I acted the same way, but I'm proud of her." Vanessa smiled.

"Okay..sorry, Dylan said that he was falling for her anyway. Even though they're 6 years apart." Zac said jokingly. Dylan walked outside, followed by Stella.

"Why are you guys out here?" Vanessa asked her sister. "Parents can embarrass you." Dylan said. "Yeah. Seriously. So don't leave us in there alone with parents." Stella added.

"Hey, you guys both agree that parents embarrass you." Vanessa pointed out as Zac nodded in approval. "Sis' what do you mean?" Stella asked.

"Forget it..you're too young." Vanessa joked. "Too young for what?" Stella didn't take Vanessa's comment as a joke. "What everyone has except for you." Vanessa said as she walked back to her apartment, still holding her hand with Zac's.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." Vanessa smiled as she and Zac entered Vanessa's apartment. _What does that mean? _Stella and Dylan both asked themselves.


	19. Will you marry me Vanessa Anne Hudgens?

Finally, Christmas. Vanessa woke up next to her sister, who kicked her a lot and headed into the bathroom.

She closed the door and remembered that she forgot her cell phone. She walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her cell.

She brushed her teeth and fixed hair. Then, Vanessa closed the lights and walked to her closet to look for something to wear.

Vanessa grabbed white dress 'coz that would be the dress that she would wear that night.

She changed into her clothes and headed towards the front door.

Vanessa started walking towards the elevator after locking her apartment door.

On the 4th floor, she walked straight to Zac's apartment and she was thinking that he was asleep.

She quietly knocked on the door, but loud enough for Zac to hear.

In Zac's apartment, Zac woke up and stretched out his arms.

Having to sleep in the same room with his brother was uncomfortable. He walked towards the front door and opened it.

Zac blinked to let the bluriness and finds out that Vanessa was standing there smiling.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing and he thought that Vanessa looked sexy. "Hello Zac." she greeted him.

"Hey Ness. Do you know what time it is?" he asked her. "Oh..I'm sorry." she apologized. "I guess I should--"

"No...please stay." he said as he let Vanessa enter his apartment. Suddenly, Zac's brother woke up and saw Vanessa.

He blinked as well and didn't realize that Vanessa was there. "Hi Dylan." Vanessa greeted Dylan.

"Hey." Dylan said and entered the kitchen getting something to eat. "Where are your parents?" Vanessa asked the guys.

"Out..yours?" Zac asked Vanessa. "Shopping. Stella's still asleep and she's going to find out that I'm gone."

Vanessa's phone rang. "Hello?" "You left me in your apartment!? ALONE!!" Stella screamed in her sister's ear.

"Stella..not too loud." Vanessa pulled the phone away from her ear as she winced. "WHY?!" Stella asked, but shouted instead.

"Umm...you're bursting my ear drum. I'm sorry that I left you. I'll send someone right away to meet you there. I'll send him my keys."

Vanessa decided to give her keys to Dylan and told him to get dressed. He asked why. "Just get dressed." Vanessa said.

"Like who's going to come over here?" Stella asked. "You know..." Vanessa trailed off.

"No..no way!! Not him!!" Stella squealed. "Yes him. I'm just going to send him over there so you guys can talk."

Vanessa explained and watched as Dylan left. "He's on his way." Vanessa winced as her sister started screaming.

She said good-bye after her sister was done and hung up. "Okay..sorry about that Zac." Vanessa smiled.

"That's fine. I know someone who acted excatly like your sister." Zac joked. "Oh shut it!!" Vanessa playfully slapped Zac.

"Okay..okay, Merry Christmas though." "Merry Christmas to you too." Vanessa said smiling. "What is it?" Zac asked.

That night at Zac's apartment, where everyone was gathering for the party. "I guess that's all the presents."

Monique said finally. "No, not all." Zac said. "Oh..right, I forgot something. Be right back." Vanessa walked outside.

"Where is she going?" Ashley asked. Everyone shrugged their shoulders.

Vanessa came back and everyone stared in shock, even Vanessa's parents. "Okay..tell me how bad it looks."

She sighed. "It doesn't look bad V!! You look hot in that." Ashley said. "Thanks. Any more comments?"

The guys shook their heads and she sat back down next to her sister. "Can you stop staring? It kinda scares me."

Vanessa said looking at the staring faces. When everyone left to go to the club for another party, Zac, Vanessa, Stella and Dylan decided to stay.

They had to clean things up for a while. "What is it?" Vanessa looked at her outfit.

"Is there something wrong with it?" "No..nothings wrong with--" Stella jumped up and down screaming.

Vanessa turned around. "Stella, what is wrong with you?" she asked her sister. "Nessy, guess what!! Guess what!!"

"What? What? What?" Vanessa asked her sister jumping up and down to play long. They stopped.

Stella whispered in her sister's ear. "OHMYGOSH!! I'm so happy for you!!" Vanessa hugged her sister.

"What am I missing?" Zac asked feeling left out. Dylan walked up to his brother and told him the news.

Zac was still confused. "What?" he asked. "Oh, just forget it Zac!!" Vanessa said. "Hey, we'll see you guys at the club. Right?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah. We'll meet you there. It's not far from here. You guys can wait for us downstairs." Vanessa said to Dylan.

Dylan nodded and he followed Stella out the door. "Okay, what am I seriously missing?" Zac asked Vanessa.

"Dylan asked Stella to be his girlfriend." Vanessa giggled. "Wait..is he serious?" he asked her. "Well, if you saw them holding hands."

Vanessa stated. "Yes, he is serious." "Well, I'm serious about something that I've been thinking about for a year."

"What would that be?" Zac went down on one knee and opened up the black velvet box that Vanessa took a peek at.

"Will you marry me Vanessa Anne Hudgens?" Zac said all in one breath without hesitating. _Ohmygosh._

"Yes." Vanessa said as Zac carefully placed the ring on Vanessa's hand.

Without a care, Zac threw the box in his apartment and wrapped his arms around Vanessa's waist.

They both shared a kiss and they didn't bother to know what time it was because they knew that they were late for the party.


	20. The End

**Well, I'm going to finish this anyway on Chapter 20. I hope that you enjoyed reading it. **

**-**

On the day of Zac and Vanessa's wedding, "Ohmygosh!! You guys, I'm so nervous." Vanessa paced back and forth.

Lucas and Corbin entered the room, along with Luc and Ashley's 2 year old daughter Laura Marie Grabeel.

"Don't be nervous. All you have to do is stare at that wonderful guy at the alter." Ashley comforted her friend.

Stella entered the room. Stella was Vanessa's Maid of Honor, while Ashley, Monique and Miley were bridesmaids.

"Sis, it's almost starting. Dad's waiting for you." Stella said to her sister. "Thanks Stells. I'm glad you're here."

Vanessa hugged her sister. "Oh, Corbin and I have to go. Good luck!!" Lucas and Corbin hugged Vanessa.

Laura followed her dad and her dad carried her all the way to where his parents were sitting.

Lucas and Corbin stood at the alter, near where Zac and Dylan were standing. Vanessa's dad entered.

"You ready?" he asked his beautiful 23 year old daughter.

Vanessa nodded as she, her sister and her friends walked out before her. The song started playing.

Stella, Ashley, Monique, and Miley all walked down the aisle. They were smiling and then the song changed.

**Vanessa's POV**

I watched as everyone stood up and smiled at the beautiful girl who was walking down the aisle.

That beautiful girl... was me. I was nervous at first, but all I did was stare at a pair of blue eyes.

Those eyes belonged to a wonderful guy. That guy... was Zac. He smiled back and I smiled as well.

I never felt nervous anyway. My dad and I stopped at the steps, kissed my cheek and made his way to sit with my mom.

I made my way to the alter, gave the boquet to Stella, and took both of Zac's hands. I stared deeply into his.

Everyone sat down and I knew that the wedding has started. The priest finally began.

**Zac's POV**

I didn't listen to what ever the priest said, but what I did listen was to the important things he said.

"Do you Zachary Efron take Vanessa Hudgens to be your lawfully wedded wife - to have and to hold -

in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer; for better or for worse; until death do you part?" he stated.

"I do." I said to him. "And do you Vanessa Hudgens take Zachary Efron to be your lawfull weddied husband -

to have and to hold - in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer; for better or for worse; until death

do you part?" I saw tears rolling down her check, but neither of us wiped them away.

I knew she was crying for happiness and excitement to be with me. "I do." she replied through her tears.

After the rings, the priest said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

I leaned in and we finally kissed. I started to hear people clapping, but I didn't care.

**Normal POV**

6 years later... Zac and Vanessa have 2 kids. One, the eldest and looks very much like his father;

while the other, looks a LOT like her mom. "Jacob, dinner's ready!! Call your sister!!" Vanessa called.

"'Kay mom!!" 6 year old Jacob David Alexander Efron ran up the stairs and called his 5 year old sister.

"Michelle, mom said dinner's ready." Jacob said. Michelle walked out of the room.

Jacob had blue eyes and looked like Zac. Michelle had long hair with curls and dark brown eyes.

They both went downstairs and the four of them gathered for a nice family dinner.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Vanessa went up to get it, but Zac told her that he would get it instead.

Vanessa smiled and sat down with their children. Zac opened the door. "Ness, guess who's here."

Zac called from the foyer. Vanessa got up and told her kids that she'd be right back.

"Ash!!" Vanessa hugged her best friend. "Hey V!! You still look prettier than me." Ashley complimented.

Monique arrived a few moments later with Corbin. Ashley and Lucas visited Zac and Vanessa the most.

Corbin and Monique couldn't because they were moving, but on that one night, was the last time they would ever have a special dinner with their friends.

-

THE END


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